To Have and To Hold
by Rainack
Summary: Sequel to Boundaries. Three month old Rick Sanders-Stokes is kidnapped, then Tracy takes off on her own to find him. Will her past come back to haunt her? May cross over with CSI: Miami. Please, read and reveiw! Rated M for lifestyle and some smut. N/G/OC
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Tracy twisted in her seat to glance at the three month old baby asleep in his car seat. She hated to wake him, but she had to go get groceries, or her family would soon be living off of take out, again.

Greg had offered to keep both twins at home with him, but Tracy knew he needed to work. He had a deadline coming up for the first draft of his new book. Taking care of one three month old was difficult enough, but two, while trying to get anything done, was damn near impossible, so Tracy had only left little Mara with him, taking Rick with her.

She had parked next to one of the shopping cart stalls, so she could easily grab a cart to put Rick in.

Little green eyes opened tiredly as Tracy picked him up out of his car seat, one of two in the back seat of Greg's four door Dodge Charger.

She was just setting Rick into the baby seat of the shopping cart, when a car pulled up beside her and the driver rolled down his window. The car was a battered Toyota Camry with Georgia licence plates. Something about it set her on edge.

"Excuse me," the driver began.

Keeping her hands firmly on the shopping cart, Tracy slowly approached the car. "Yes?"

A hand holding something white snaked around Tracy's neck, clamping down over her mouth and nose.

Tracy held her breath, trying to break free of the person's grip, but he had already gotten to good a hold on her. All she managed to do was claw at his arm, leaving a furrow of scratches.

Stars began to flash in her vision, and her body screamed at her to take a breath. She watched in horror as the Camry's driver got out and picked Rick up. The baby started to fuss, but the man seemed to know his way around children and soon had him calmed.

Tracy drew in a breath to scream, and the world went dark.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was dark and cramped. That was the first thought she had as she swam up out of unconsciousness.

Remembering what had happened, Tracy resisted the urge to panic. She couldn't help Rick if she panicked. Reaching her hands above her, she recognized the inside of a trunk lid.

Feeling around above her head, she quickly located the emergency release and pulled it. Dim light flooded in through the partially opened trunk lid.

Tracy pushed the lid open another fraction. She recognized asphalt. A parking lot. Then she recognized the emergency kit Greg kept in the trunk of his Charger. She'd been put into the drunk of the car she'd driven to the store.

She moved more hastily now. Clambering out of the trunk to look around frantically, she found the battered Camry was gone, her son with it.

She found her purse in the trunk and fumbled for her phone. Her fingers shook as she dialed Nick's number.

"Tracy! Where have you been? We were getting worried," Nick's voiced calmed her marginally. Her rock.

She finally took stock in the change in light. The sun had set some time ago. Precious time had been lost.

"Tracy? Baby?" Nick's voice took on a heavier Texas twang, when she didn't respond.

Tracy finally found her voice, "Nicky! They took Rick!" Sobs shook her lithe frame.

"Took?"Nick felt his heart plummet into his work boots. "Where are you?"

"Albertson's parking lot," she sobbed, knowing Nick already knew which one she was talking about.

"Stay there! I'll be there in a few minutes!" Hanging up, Nick dialed the house number. After one ring, Greg picked up.

"Nicky? Did you find her?" Greg's voice was low with worry.

Nick quickly explained everything Tracy had told him, then added, "Greg, lock the doors and set the alarm. Don't open the door for anybody! I'm going to call Brass and have him send out a security detail."

Greg let out a sob, "You think they'll come after Mara?"

"Don't worry! We'll find him! Take care of Mara," Nick tried to reassure his husband. They'd both seen the horrible outcomes of too many kidnapings to truly be reassured, though.

Hanging up, after talking to Brass, Nick tossed his phone down on the passenger seat of his department Denali. His flashing strobes caused most cars to move out of his way, and he swerved around the ones who didn't move fast enough.

He pulled into the empty space next to Greg's Charger, and jumped out of the Denali.

Tracy was standing numbly behind the car, her cell phone still held in one limp hand.

Nick went to her, prepared to pull her into his reassuring embrace. She held up a hand to stop him, though.

"No, process me."

"You sure?" Nick asked. He didn't want to contaminate any evidence, but he knew they both needed the physical contact right now.

Nodding up at Nick, she said, "Only chance... Is Brass on the way?"

"He should be here soon, Baby. He's sending a detail out to the house, to keep an eye on Greg and Mara."

"You think they were specifically after Rick, not just random?" Tracy gasped.

"I don't know, but it's better to be safe than sorry," Nick replied, opening the back of the Denali to get his field kit.

"Okay, Baby! Let's see what we've got," he said, as he pulled on a pair of exam gloves.

"They put a rag with something over my mouth and nose. I took a pretty deep breath through my nose, to try to scream, before I blacked out. There may be fibers..." she trailed off, as Nick shown his tactical flashlight on her face, then up her nose.

"This may tickle," he warned, as he used his tweezers to gently extract a white fiber. Tracy hadn't made a sound. Nick looked up into her eyes, noting the faraway, almost dead look in them. She was barely holding it together. He continued to search her clothing for fibers and other trace, tempering himself not to rush.

She needed him to hold her right now, but they needed all the evidence they could find. He couldn't stand the thought of losing either of the children he called his. Only one of them truly was his. He didn't know which one was his and which was Greg's, but he didn't care. He loved them both equally, as did Greg.

Nick was looking at the back of Tracy's shirt and pants, trying to find anything the attacker may have transferred to her clothing. He found a few fibers, and some kind of leaf.

"I think I scratched him," Tracy held up her hands, showing neatly manicured fingernails with traces of blood and skin on them.

"Good girl!" Nick smiled at her, as he scraped the skin into a small evidence envelope.

Nick was just finishing up when Brass arrived.

Captain Jim Brass didn't bother parking his department car in a space. He just pulled up behind the Charger and left his car there.

Worry was written all over Brass's face. "What happened?" he asked as he pulled out his notebook and pen.

Tracy went through everything she remembered about the car and the driver.

"You said it had a Georgia licence plate. Did you get the number?" Brass asked, looking around and noting the cameras located at strategic spots in the parking lot.

Panic crossed Tracy's face, "No! I didn't!" she wailed.

"Shh..." Nick tried to calm her, pulling her into his arms. Brass raised a brow, so Nick said, "I've already processed her. I just have to print the trunk lid. Can you see about getting the security tapes? And get an APB out on that car?"

Brass nodded, heading for the store. He was already calling in the APB on the beat up Camry with Georgia plates.

Nick put Tracy into the front passenger seat of the Denali, then returned to his kit for a new pair of gloves, fingerprint power, and evidence tape.

He carefully dusted the trunk lid and keys, which still hung from the key hold, for prints, while he worried about Tracy.

She wasn't reacting well to the situation, becoming more withdrawn by the second. He hoped that getting her home to Greg and Mara would help.

Pulling the last print up with evidence tape, Nick grabbed all the prints he'd pulled and the powder and returned to the back end of the Denali. He'd closed and locked the Charger, putting the keys into an evidence bag, in case there were epithelials on them.

At the rear of the Denali, Nick scanned each of the prints into the portable scanner and sent the fingerprint program on a search for the prints he'd picked up. He knew most of them would come back to Tracy, Greg, and even himself, since all of their ten cards were on file because of their employment with the crime lab. Greg's were still on file there, even though it had been nearly a year since he'd quit to write full time.

He left the search to run, slammed the back door of the Denali and quickly climbed in behind the wheel.

Tracy was staring out the windshield, her eyes unblinking and distant. When Nick got in, she turned the look on him, and he shuddered. He'd never seen her so lost and hopeless before.

"We're going to drop this evidence off at the lab, so Sara and Cath can start processing it. Then we're going home, Baby!" he reached across the seat, taking her left hand in his right. She just stared down at it, as if at a loss for what she should do.

Brass's car was still parked behind the Charger, and partially behind the Denali, so Nick pulled forward.

The Denali climbed roughly over the curbs, making Nick flinch at the amount of damage he was probably doing to the suspension.

Lights and siren blaring, Nick caused the tires to squeal on the pavement as he pulled out into traffic. Screeching tires told him he'd made at least one driver slam on their brakes to avoid a collision with him.

Tracy's only reaction was to put her hand on the arm rest of the door to steady herself.

At the lab, Nick took Tracy inside and sat her down on one of the beat up old couches in the break room. "Stay here. I'll be right back," he leaned down, kissing her cheek. Still no reaction.

Picking up the bag of evidence, Nick raced from the room to Catherine Willows's office. He barged in as she was hanging up her cell.

"Nicky!" she stood, skirting her desk to go to him. "That was Brass! Oh, my God! Is Tracy..." she trailed off.

"She's not hurt. But..." he nearly couldn't go on. "She's catatonic. I've gotta take her home. Hopefully Greg and Mara can help me snap her out of it."

Catherine noticed the paper bag of evidence in his hands. She motioned to it, "Here, give me that! Sara and I will handle it. You take her home!"

Catherine snatched the bag from Nick and bolted from her office, phone already to her ear again.

Ecklie stepped out of his office, finger raised to make some point, as Catherine dashed past.

"Not now, Conrad! Rick Sanders-Stokes has been kidnaped!"

With an inward groan at the problems the Sanders-Stokes had caused him throughout the years, Ecklie called after her, "Day shift is at your disposal!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Tracy was curled up in a fetal ball on the couch when Nick returned to the break room. He tried to coax her up, so he could take her home, but she wouldn't budge.

He finally scooped her up, one arm under her knees, the other around her shoulders. As he picked her up, she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. A forlorn sigh escaped her, breaking Nick's heart.

"Come on, let's go home," he murmured into her hair.

Once she was buckled in and Nick had closed the door, she leaned her head against the door. As Nick climbed in, he noted that she had wrapped her arms tightly around her middle, as if trying to hold herself together.

The half hour ride from the crime lab to their house on the outskirts of Vegas was made in silence. Nick's hands gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white.

Shutting the engine down in the driveway, Nick picked up his phone. "We're right outside, Greg. Unarm the house." Shoving the phone and his keys into his pocket, Nick climbed down from the truck. He went around to the passenger side, unbuckling Tracy and picking her up again.

Greg met them at the door. He held Mara cradled in one arm, sleeping. His eyes were red, and Nick knew the other man had been crying. Now, though, Greg's eyes widened in fear at the state Tracy was in.

Nick carried Tracy to the sofa in the livingroom, where she curled back up on herself.

Having locked and armed the house, Greg went to Nick.

Tears were pooling in Nick's eyes. "She's catatonic, Greg. She hasn't spoken since she gave Brass her statement."

Greg put his arm around Nick's waist, pulling him as close as he could while still being careful of the sleeping infant. Tears flooded his own eyes. "Has there been any word?"

Nick shook his head, "I left the evidence with Cath, and Brass was getting the security footage..." he trailed off. "We'll have to give them time. They'll call!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Sara," Catherine said, looking over at the other woman, "Brass just got back with the security tapes. Go down and have a look with Archie."

"Sure thing, Cath!" Sara jumped to her feet, happy to have something to do besides wait for Trace, DNA, fingerprints, and tox to get back to them with results.

Archie was just cuing up the footage when Sara skidded into the AV lab. She grabbed a seat, nearly falling to the floor as it tried to roll out from under her in her haste to sit down.

Clearing her throat, Sara said, "So, Brass said Tracy thought she pulled into Albertson's around two. Let's start there."

The video was black and white, and ever so slightly grainy. They started with an angle of the isle Tracy had been parked in. At two ten, according to the time stamp on the screen, they watched Greg's red Dodge Charger pull into the parking lot and then into a spot.

Tracy didn't get out immediately, and it was hard to tell, but they thought she'd turned to look in the back seat. Then she did get out, grabbing a shopping cart from the cart stall next to the car before moving around to the passenger side.

They watched Tracy pull a sleepy Rick out of his car seat and seat him in the shopping cart. Then the beat up Camry drove into the frame, the driver side window rolling down. It stopped in back of the Charger, licence plate visible to the camera.

Sara whooped with joy. "Get a screen shot of that plate!" she told Archie, only to see his hand had already reached for the print key.

"Let's see if we can get a screen shot of the driver, now!" Archie put actions to words, slowly advancing through the video frame by frame, until he found the best shot possible.

He printed a hard copy, then pulled the image across to a second computer monitor, where he could run facial recognition software. Once that was running, he went back to the video.

They watched as Tracy was grabbed from behind by a large man. He wore a hoodie, the hood pulled up, hiding his face.

When Tracy scratched him, Sara's gaze was drawn to the attacker's left arm. "Hey, is that a tattoo on his arm?"

Archie backed the video up, then zoomed in on the attacker's arm. "Looks like some kind of bird holding something in its talons," Archie said, as he made a hard copy for Sara. "Army, maybe?" he said, handing her the printout.

"If you find anything useful from the other cameras, let me know," Sara told Archie, taking the printouts to go start tracking down these new leads.

She pulled a chair up to the computer in the layout room and logged into the DMV database. She typed in the plate number and waited while the computer brought up the information she sought.

She groaned when the database informed her that the plates in question had been stolen several days earlier. Making a note of the address in Georgia where the plates had been reported stolen from – the plates were the only thing stolen – she searched the Georgia database for Toyota Camry's reported stolen around the same time.

The database spit out a list of three Camry's stolen within ten miles of the plates.

Catherine, breathless, skidded into the room just then, "Patrol found the car, abandoned a few blocks from where Rick was grabbed!"

Sara scrambled out of her seat, racing after the older woman.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Nick grabbed the phone on the first ring, noting it was Sara calling. "Sara! Have you found him?" his voice was desperate, breaking Sara's heart.

In his arms, Mara squirmed and began to cry. "Shh..." he crooned, as he adjusted her so he could more comfortable cuddle her and hold the phone.

"Sara?" he repeated.

"Nicky! We found the car, abandoned. I thought you'd want to know," Sara's voice was low, sad. She told him what she'd learned about the car.

"Th-Thanks, Sara," Nicky chocked on a sob. He closed his phone, rocking Mara in his arms.

Greg looked up questioningly from the bed, where he'd been curled around Tracy.

"That was Sara. They found the car. It was stolen in Georgia a few days ago."

A long, heart wrenching wail cut Nick off.

Greg whipped his head around to Tracy, and Nick quickly set Mara down in her crib to go over to Tracy.

"No!" the wail sounded again, as Tracy began to beat at anything she could reach with her fists.

Nick grabbed Tracy's wrists, scooting up against her on the bed, as her wails turned to sobs.

The two men wrapped their arms around her while she sobbed. Doing their best to reassure their inconsolable wife.

"Why my Ricky!" she sobbed, burying her face in Nick's chest.

As Tracy's sobs began to subside, Greg realized he could hear Mara, crying from fright at her mother's sudden outburst.

Greg jumped up from the bed, picking the baby up gently. He took the infant to Tracy, hoping to bring her out of her grief with the realization that she was not alone, and she was still loved and needed by the rest of the family. Perhaps given something to do, Tracy would be able to take hold of her usual steadfast control again.

Tracy had rolled over and was now sitting up, wiping her red, swollen eyes. Taking Mara from Greg, she murmured softly, "I'm so sorry! I- I just lost it. Knowing the statistics of these things..." she trailed off to avoid losing control again.

Laying the palm of his hand along Tracy's cheek, Greg said, "We know what you mean." He rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. "Glad to have you back!"

She leaned toward Greg, touching her forehead to his, then sat back up again. Sniffling, Tracy watched Mara play with her index finger for a moment. Leaning back against Nick's chest, she looked up at him, "You said the car had been stolen from Georgia?"

"Yeah, Baby. Why?" Nick asked, resting his chin on Tracy's head.

"Nothing. Just curious," to cover her slip, Tracy added, "Do you think that's where they're taking him?"

They lapsed into silence for a moment.

Greg moved his hand from Tracy's cheek, resting it on Mara's head of blond hair. The baby looked over at Greg, smiled, then let loose a very wet sound in the region of her diaper.

Before scooping Mara up from Tracy's arms, Greg said, "Everyone at the lab is working on finding him. We will find him!" He then took the baby over to the changing table, and with an exaggerated look of horror on his face, he commenced changing the infant's dirty diaper.

Nick and Tracy laughed softly.

"Let's try and get some sleep," Nick murmured into Tracy's ear.

As Nick moved to turn off the overhead light, Greg sat down in the rocking chair and turned on a small side table light.

Tracy crawled under the covers of the king sized bed, suddenly too tired to even undress. Nick scooted in beside her, as Greg began to sing a Norwegian lullaby his Nana Olaf had sung to him as a boy.

Once Mara was soundly sleeping, Greg lay her down in her crib and crawled tiredly into bed with his wife and husband.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next morning, Nick woke to find Greg pressed up against him, their legs tangled together under the covers. He could hear Mara giggling and cooing in her crib, but the rest of the house seemed eerily silent. Vacant. Empty of Tracy.

When Nick kissed Greg's cheek and untangled himself, Greg mumbled, rolled over, and buried himself further under the covers.

Stopping by the crib, Nick picked up Mara. "Come on, kiddo. Let's go find Mommy!" He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The house was just too quiet.

As he entered the kitchen, his eye was drawn to a note on the counter, and his heart nearly stopped.

Picking up the note in trembling fingers, Nick felt tears welling in his eyes. He nearly couldn't read the note through the haze in his vision.

_Nicky, Greggo,_

_I have to go after him! Please, don't follow me. This is something I have to do alone. If all goes well, Ricky and I should be home within the week. If not, then know that I love both of you, with all my heart. Tell Mara, everyday, that I love her._

_With all my heart and soul!_

_Tracy_

"Greg!" Nick yelled, gripping the note to his chest. He turned and ran back into the bedroom.

Mara began to whimper, and Nick had to fight to control his emotions, so she wouldn't sense his distress and begin crying.

Nick stopped in the bedroom doorway, his gaze drawn to the partially open closet door. They never left the closet door open.

Greg was now sitting up, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. Concert filled his voice as he asked, "What's wrong, Nicky? Where's Tracy?"

Handing the note and Mara to Greg, Nick moved towards the closet, trepidation heavy in his heart.

Quickly reading the note – written in Tracy's precise hand – Greg whispered, "Oh, no!"

Nick emerged from the closet. In his hands was the lock box he put his department issued Glock in after he got home from work every morning. Greg hadn't carried, and Tracy didn't either, so Nick's was the only gun in the house, but all three knew the combination to the box, as well as how to use the gun.

The box was open, and Nick stared disbelievingly at the empty interior of the box.

"Shit! She took my Glock!" Nick exclaimed, looking over at Greg, in horror of what might happen.

Suddenly exploding into action, Nick tossed the empty lock box onto the bed, grabbed his phone off the night stand, and started pulling on a pair of jeans one handed, while dialing the phone with the other.

He didn't wait for the person on the other end to respond before he said, "Catherine, I'm going in to the lab. I need to know what you've found out! Tracy took off! She must know something about the people who took Rick." Pausing to draw a ragged breath, he said, "Cath, she took my piece!"

Catherine replied, "Calm down, Nicky! There's really not much you can do here. We're still processing the car, and waiting for results from the DNA and trace you pulled off of Tracy. As soon as we know something, we'll let you know."

"I've gotta do something, Cath! I can't lose them both!"

"Look, maybe you can look in her personnel file, look at her past. Maybe she's crossed these guys on a case, or something," Cath finally responded.

At the same time, Greg jumped up, "If you're going in, so am I!" He started gathering up everything they would need for Mara, as Nick nodded to him.

"We'll be there soon," Nick told Catherine, then closed the phone.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Several hours earlier:

Tracy carefully extracted herself from between her two husbands, not wanting to wake them.

She quickly changed, then grabbed some clothes and stuffed them in a duffle bag from the closet. She then reached up and tapped in the combination on Nick's lock box. She pulled out the silver and black Glock, shoving it into the duffel with her clothes.

Pausing at Mara's crib, she whispered a tearful, but soft, "I love you," to the sleeping infant. She didn't look back at her husbands for fear she'd change her mind.

In Greg's office, she pulled out the lock box that contained their emergency cash. She grabbed a stack of five thousand dollars. The bills – hundreds, fifties, and a few twenties – were held together with a rubber band.

She then took a sheet of paper from the printer and scrawled a quick note.

Collecting the money, duffel, and note, she went to the kitchen, where she grabbed her keys and deposited the note on the counter.

She armed and locked the house behind her as she walked out to her beloved Camaro. The engine purred to life when she twisted the key in the ignition. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she pulled away from the home containing the majority of her family.

Thinking like a CSI, Tracy knew the first thing Nick would do when they discovered her gone would be to issue a BOLO for her car. She drove to the airport, parking the memorable orange and black Camaro in a dark corner of the parking structure.

She then grabbed her things and headed for the car rental companies.

The woman behind the counter greeted her with a bored smile, "Hi. Name?"

"I don't have a reservation. This is kind of last minute," Tracy replied.

"Sure. Did you have something specific in mind?" the clerk asked.

"Mid sized sedan. I'll need a child seat," Tracy responded cooly.

"Okay. I'll need a copy of your driver's licence. How would you like to pay today?"

Handing the other woman her licence, Tracy said, "Cash." By paying cash, she hoped to keep from discovering she'd rented a car. She had no choice but to use her real name on the rental agreement, so the longer the Camaro remained undiscovered, the longer it would hopefully take anyone to realize she'd rented a car and exactly what she'd rented.

The clerk's eye brows rose when Tracy told her she'd be paying in cash, but she didn't comment, just took the licence to copy.

Within a few minutes, her rental had been driven around to the front door. A few minutes later, she was on the first leg of a coss country trip that would either result in her rescuing her son, or result in her death.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I can't help but think she's been planning this since we went to bed last night," Greg was pacing behind Nick, who sat at the computer in the layout room.

Greg had been sucking down coffee all day. His way of coping with stress. Now he couldn't sit still.

Glancing at Mara, bouncing in her bouncy seat as she watched Greg, Nick suspected he knew which father she shared DNA with. "Something I said set her off," Nick affirmed quietly.

"You talked about the car. It was stolen in Georgia. Something about Georgia. Something in Tracy's past?"

Nick met Greg's eyes, as puzzle pieces began aligning themselves. Spinning back to the computer, Nick pulled up Tracy's personnel file.

Sara skidded into the DNA lab. "You paged!" she panted, trying to catch her breath.

Wendy looked up from her microscope. "Where were you?"

"Out in the garage, processing the car with Ray. What did you get?"

"No hits in CODIS, so I expanded the search. Here's what I got," Wendy handed Sara a piece of paper.

"Steven Mettler. Ex-army. Last known address... Georgia. Wendy? Have you gotten this to Brass yet?"

"Sent him a text with Mettler's name and last known a few minutes ago. Right after I paged you," Wendy nodded.

Brass looked up as Sara walked into his office. This was turning into a regular office party. He was rather bemused at how quickly word had gotten round that he was on the phone with police in Georgia about a suspect.

The room was now crowded, as everyone waited for news on the search of the suspect's house in Georgia.

Brass had contacted the local authorities, and they were currently enroute to the address Brass had given them.

Greg was standing against a table, holding Nick in his arms. Nick was holding a sleeping Mara. The two men had their heads down, eyes closed, as they prayed for a clue, a lead, their son, and Tracy.

Brass's phone rang and he opened it, speaking his usual terse greeting of, "Brass."

He listened, then said, "I see. Thank you!" Closing the phone, he sighed. Every eye in the room was now on him.

"Mettler hasn't lived there for several months. A neighbor said she thought he mentioned Florida, right before he left."

Nick, Greg, and Catherine exchanged a knowing look, and Catherine pulled her phone out.

Scrolling down her contacts list, she found the one she wanted and sent out the call.

"Horatio Caine, this is Catherine Willows, Las Vegas Crime Lab," Catherine began before Horatio could say anything.

"Catherine, I've been expecting your call," Horatio replied.

"You have?" Catherine asked in confusion. "Does that mean you've seen Tracy Sanders-Stokes?"

"I haven't seen her, but she called several hours ago. She's driving in and should be here in a couple days. You'd better get her husbands on a plane down her as soon as possible. This is something she shouldn't be going through alone. She's convinced her ex-husband his behind the kidnaping of her son."

"Look, can I send you everything we've got? Maybe a fresh set of eyes will find something we missed," Catherine's brows were drawn together in worry for Tracy.

"Sure. I'll get my team on it as soon as we receive the download."

"One more thing. She's armed. She took Nick's department issued Glock."

Horatio's even, "I understand," belied the roiling emotions he was suddenly feeling. He had known Tracy since she first started in Tracy at the Miami Dade Crime Lab. Even when her ex had tried to rape her, she had done only enough damage to him to be able to escape. Horatio had never imagined Tracy to be the type to take the law into her own hands.

"Thanks, Horatio," Catherine said into the phone, then flipped it closed.

Greg and Nick had stood nearby, listening to her end of the conversation. Now they looked at Catherine expectantly. Greg held Mara, and both men had twined their fingers together. They were holding hands so tightly their knuckles were white.

"Bring me Mara's car seat and diaper bag. I'll take her to my mom's. Get the earliest flight you can to Florida," Catherine told the two men, reaching for the sleeping baby.

"Her diaper bag and bouncy seat are in the break room," Greg said, as he allowed Catherine to take the small sleeping bundle from him. Glad of finally having something to do, a direction to take, Greg pulled Nick's keys from the older man's pants pocket and sprinted towards the front entrance of the lab. "Book us a flight, Nicky!" he shouted behind him.

Catherine allowed an amused grin to settle on her face. "Same old Greg," she laughed.

"Ya!" Nick agreed, turning towards his office to find a phone book.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Smut! M/M Don't like, don't read.

Chapter 9

The soonest flight Nick could find would leave in two hours. This gave them enough time to kiss their daughter good bye and rush home to pack.

After an uneventful flight, they met Horatio Caine at the Miami Dade Crime Lab.

"Trust in my people," he'd told them, sending the two husbands to check into a hotel with the promise that the minute he knew anything, he'd let them know.

Unpacking their bags, Nick came across something unexpected. "Greg?" his voice broke, and he had to clear his throat before he could speak again.

"Yeah?" Greg asked, poking his head into the bedroom from the small livingroom their motel room boasted.

Nick turned around, and Greg blushed when he saw what Nick was holding.

"Uh, what's this?" Nick asked, thinking he already knew the answer, but unsure of how he felt about it.

"A box of condoms and tube of lube," Greg smirked, stating the obvious.

"I can see that, but..." Nick trailed off.

"Well, we've never... I was kind of curious about... Sex _is_ supposed to be a good stress reliever," Greg babbled on. Still furiously blushing, Greg went on, "If you don't want to, it's okay. Just forget about those things."

Nick dropped the two items and closed the distance separating them. Cupping Greg's face in his hands, Nick silenced the younger man's babbling with a kiss. After a moment, he pulled away, murmuring, "I've been kind of curious, too. Watching you with Tracy, I've wondered what it would feel like, to have you inside of me."

"Really?" Greg's face brightened in a smile, "I've wondered the same thing. I was just nervous about having our first time be with her watching. I've had the condoms and lube for a couple of months, now. Trying to get up the nerve to ask..."

Nick pulled Greg in for another kiss, his hands snaking around Greg's back and down to his butt. He pulled the younger man against him, so their rapidly hardening lengths met through denim and cotton.

Greg managed to pull away, "Are you sure?" he asked, his eyes searching Nick's.

"Ya," Nick replied, reaching for Greg's crotch, massaging the pulsing erection.

Moaning again, Greg asked shyly, "Which position do you want to try first?"

"You proposed we try this, so you top me first," Nick managed around a moan, as Greg's hands fumbled with his belt and jeans.

Greg claimed Nick's mouth with his, pushing the bigger man backwards toward the bed. Nick's pants were left behind, forgotten on the floor. Pulling his shirt off, Nick tossed it in the direction of his pants.

Kissing Greg again, Nick felt his legs hit the bed. He just stopped himself from falling onto the open luggage, pushing it off the bed with a thud.

Greg pushed his own pants off, and retrieved the box of condoms and lube from where they had fallen on the floor.

Turning Nick so he was facing the bed, Greg told him, "Lay down on your stomach."

Tearing open a condom, he slipped it over his fingers, and lubed it up. He then crawled up on the bed, right leg between Nick's legs. He propped himself up on his left hand, his right going to Nick's opening.

"If it hurts too much, tell me, and I'll stop," Greg breathed into Nick's ear, kissing his husbands neck while he pushed one finger in.

Nick gasped at the new sensations.

"You okay?" Greg whispered, kissing Nick's back.

Nick hummed an affirmative, so Greg added another finger, stretching the tight muscles.

Coiled tightly, ready to blow any moment, Nick moaned, "Greg, I can't take it anymore, I want you in me!"

Greg threw away the condom he'd had on his fingers, and tore open a new one. He pulled it over his own rock hard length and lubed it up.

Pressing himself against Nick, Greg kept a tight rein on his own desire, lest he thrust in too quickly and hurt Nick.

Greg was half way in, when Nick reached one hand back and gripped his hip, pulling him the rest of the way in with one quick jerk.

"Greg!" Nick pleaded, and Greg realized he'd been still, reveling in the feeling of Nick surrounding him.

Thrusting slowly at first, their rhythm quickly escalated until they were both panting with the need to release.

Greg snaked his hand beneath Nick, taking hold of the stiff appendage and pumping in time to his own thrusting.

This sent Nick over the edge. With a strangled cry of ecstacy, he released his seed over the bedspread.

Knowing he had been the catalyst of Nick's release, Greg reached his own peak, filling the condom with his own seed.

Pulling out, Greg removed and discarded the condom.

Nick had rolled over, and now lay beside a rather wet spot. His hands were behind his head, and he had a satisfied smile on his face.

Cuddling up on Nick's other side, Greg looked into Nick's face, "That was... You were... Wow!"

"My sentiments exactly," Nick murmured quietly. "Tracy's going to love watching us do that!"

The reminder of their missing son and awol wife sobered both men instantly.

"We're going to talk Tracy out of whatever crazy plan she's come up with, and we're going to find Rick," Greg spoke softly from where his head rested on Nick's chest, as if saying it enough times would make it so.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Tracy walked into Horatio Caine's office at the Miami Dade Crime Lab. "H!" she began, only to stop in her tracks. She tried to back pedal, but Nick stepped in behind her, cutting off her only exit.

"No! No! I told you not to come!" she yelled.

"Tracy!" Horatio snapped, causing Tracy to close her mouth with a click of teeth. "You've always been fiercely independent, but there are times you need to rely on your friends and family for support," he spoke with a knowing gleam in his eyes. "This is one of those times."

Nick took gentle hold of Tracy's upper arms, turning her to face him. She tried to look down, but Nick tilted her chin up with a fingertip, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Tracy, where's my gun?" Nick's trained eye had already ascertained that Tracy didn't have it on her.

Blushing so furiously her skin matched her fiery hair, Tracy said, "I wasn't going to..." but was cut off by a finger on her lips.

"Shh... Don't finish that sentence. Where's my gun?"

"In the car," she finally finished weakly, dropping the rental's keys onto his outstretched hand, and telling him what the rental looked like.

"Where's Mara?" she finally noticed the baby's absence.

"Cath's mom is watching her for us. Don't worry, she's fine," Greg responded, walking over to wrap his arms around Tracy.

She flinched, nearly pulling away from him. "I don't deserve... You shouldn't..." she couldn't finish either sentence, and finally just melted against Greg, sobbing.

Seeming to understand what Tracy had been trying to say, Greg told her, "Nick and I aren't going anywhere. You're ours as surely as we're yours! That will _never_ change!"

Nick walked back in, his gun comfortably riding his right him, where it belonged. He slid his arms around Tracy's waist, kissing her neck and whispering, "We'll get through this together. Whatever happens!"

Once Tracy's sobs subsided, Horatio motioned for the three to sit, so they could talk. "What makes you think Tony's behind Rick's kidnaping?" he asked Tracy.

"There's something I never told any of you about what happened the night he tried to rape me," she took a shaky breath. "After I told him I'd make him regret it if he came after me again, he told me he wouldn't have any regrets about killing me. And that he would kill me."

Nick and Greg both took in sharp breaths.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Nick asked, wounded that the woman he loved would keep something like this from him.

"I didn't think he'd ever be able to find me, since I'd changed my name and moved. He shouldn't have been able to find me!" A sob threatened to overwhelm her again, but she bit her lip, holding it back.

"The car was stolen in Georgia. Tony and I went on our honeymoon there," she went on.

"That's a very vague connection," Horatio commented. "Certainly not enough to get a warrant with."

"I- I have to go to him. I'll trade myself for Rick," her voice shook, but her eyes held firm resolve.

"What?" Greg's voice crept up towards panic.

"No!" Nick's voice was adamant in his refusal.

"This is why I didn't want the two of you here. I knew this would be my only choice and you would try to stop me," Tracy looked from Greg to Nick sadly.

"This is crazy!" Nick stood, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"It's the only way. I've already called Tony. He's expecting me in an hour," Tracy laid her final card on the table. She closed her eyes, to avoid the looks of hurt and betrayal on their faces.

It was Horatio who spoke next, "He won't let you have the upper hand this time. You won't stand a chance against him."

"You think I don't realize that?" Tracy railed. "He has my son!" she flew up from her chair as she wailed the words. "If I don't go to Tony, he'll kill Ricky! I can't lose another child!" her eyes were wild, and she spun, running for the door.

Desperation gave her strength. When Nick and Greg grabbed her, she fought like a wild cat. "Let me go! Let me go!" she screamed over and over until her voice was hoarse.

The two men pulled her down to the floor, wrapping their legs around hers, trapping her arms at her sides. The whole while, Nick spoke soothing words to her, as if he were calming a frightened horse back on the family ranch in Texas.

"Easy! Shh... It's going to be okay!"

Nick and Greg exchanged fear filled glances over Tracy's head from their positions to either side of her on the floor. This Tracy scared them more than the catatonic Tracy had.

Greg took Tracy's face in his hands, pushing fiery hair off her cheeks with the palms of his hands. "We're a family! We'll do this as a family! All three of us go!"

Tracy nodded, the wild look in her eyes beginning to subside as Greg continued to gaze steadily into her eyes.

Horatio helped Tracy up, and she mumbled an embarrassed apology.

Horatio brushed it off, holding up a small electronic device. "This is a microphone. I'll follow you so I can listen in through this. If I hear anything incriminating from Tony, I can call in backup. You'll still be on your own for a few minutes, though."

"Thanks, H!" Tracy gave her old boss a small, appreciative smile.

"Let's go get your son back," Horatio said, sliding his sunglasses on as he headed for the door.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Tracy pulled out the pay-as-you-go cell phone she'd purchased when she'd first set out from Vegas. She brought up the text Tony had sent her with the address she was to go to, and punched it into the GPS unit in her rental car.

"No wonder Archie couldn't track your cell phone," Nick stated.

"What can I say, I'm a CSI. I know what CSIs would do to track me down," Tracy allowed a hesitant smile to play across her features.

Nick reached across the seat, cupping Tracy's face with his right hand. "We'll all get through this, somehow. We have to because I'm not sure I could live without you, either of you, or Rick."

Blinking back tears, as Nick pulled his hand back, Tracy turned the key in the ignition.

The twenty minute drive was made in tense silence. Greg and Nick both absently watched the terrain slip past out the windows, while Tracy kept her gaze fixed on the road ahead. She knew Horatio was somewhere behind them, and was relieved to be going into this with them she loved and her old boss as back up.

The address she'd received took them into the warehouse district. The big cargo door of the building bearing the address from the text stood open, and a large man with a tattoo on his right arm beckoned them to drive inside.

The door closed behind the car and there were suddenly several men pointed guns at them through the windows.

"Put your hands up and get out," tattoo man said loudly enough that they could hear him through the closed windows.

As Tracy, Nick, and Greg put their hands up, three gun toting men opened the car doors. They were pulled roughly from the car and pushed to the front of it. Nick's gun was removed from his belt.

"You were supposed to come alone!" Tracy followed the voice to its source, finding Tony standing in the shadows beneath the stairs leading to the warehouse office.

Tracy sucked in a breath, when Tony stepped out of the shadows. The hatred in his eyes made the breath catch in her throat.

Taking a step toward Tony, oblivious to the guns that were raised in her direction, Tracy yelled, "Where's me son?"

"Oh, don't worry. He's safe. For the moment. Now why did you disobey my orders?" Tony's icy blue eyes narrowed.

"They came for Ricky! Where is he?"

Tony nodded to someone else in the shadows. The man from the car in the Albertson's parking lot stepped out, Rick cradled in his arms.

Striding forward, Tracy ignored the guns trained on her in her haste to get to Rick.

Nick and Greg both winced at the amount of firepower aimed at their wife.

Her eyes shooting daggers at her son's kidnaper, Tracy took Rick from him. A quick visual inspection of the infant showed no obvious injuries. She then retraced her steps, gave her son a quick kiss, then handed him to Greg.

Tony nodded at his men. Two of them grabbed Tracy roughly by the upper arms, holding her as Tony approached.

"Coward!" she spat at him. "Fight me, you coward!"

"Why should I fight you?" Tony sneered.

Knowing Nick and Greg weren't going to react well to what she was about to say, Tracy prepared herself for their shocked outbursts as best she could. Lowering her head in defeat, she said, "If you win, let Nick, Greg, and Rick go. I'll do whatever you want."

"And if you win?" Tony sneered.

"If I win, you let us all go."

Amid Greg's and Nick's shocked, "No, Tracy!" and "No!" Tony said, "You'll do whatever I want? Even get down on your knees and let me blow your brains out?"

"Yes!" Tracy said, hanging her head in shame, knowing Greg and Nick must now hate her for giving up so easily.

Tony nodded at the two men holding her. Before he released her, the tattooed man buried his fist in her side. Tracy heard bone breaking and knew she had at least one broken rib.

Nick took a step forward threateningly, "Hey! That's not..." he was cut off when he was suddenly pushed to his knees. A gun was pressed to his head. Greg was also forced to his knees, a gun held to his head.

Through tears, Tracy saw what was happening to her men, so she painfully straightened.

"Leave them alone!" she growled at Tony, as she took a step forward. Pushing the pain away, as she'd been taught in her mixed martial arts training, Tracy lunged at Tony.

She threw a punch and several chops, but Tony easily deflected them. Then she swept her feet towards his legs, attempting to knock him down.

Tony easily jumped over her legs, and aimed a kick of his own to Tracy's already injured side. The kick connected and Tracy grabbed Tony's foot, twisting it out from under him.

He landed heavily on his side, momentarily dazed, while Tracy scooted around, aiming a kick at his head. Tony rolled away and jumped to his feet. Tracy also took the opportunity to regain her feet.

In a very small, compartmentalized part of her brain, Tracy registered two voices cheering her on. Nick and Greg were supporting her the only way they could right now, through words of encouragement.

Charging her ex-husband, Tracy feinted one way, then threw everything she had into a powerful punch to his solar plexis. She heard his breath leave his lungs in a whoosh and she knew she'd succeeded in driving the wind from him.

Before Tony could recover, Tracy punched him in the face, once more breaking his nose. Blood gushed, and Tony let out a yell of pain.

A grim smile settled on Tracy's face. Either way, the end was near. Her own breaths were beginning to come in ragged gasps. Deep breaths becoming impossible from her cracked ribs. She had to end this quickly.

Tony was bent over, his hands to his nose. Before he could straighten, Tracy had pulled him forward, her knee rising to meet him. Her knee hit his already bruised solar plexis, and now he was gasping so hard he was turning red.

As Tony straightened, Tracy whirled around, brining her leg up in a kick that sent blood and several teeth flying from his mouth.

Tony toppled forward, landing on the concrete floor with a grunt. He struggled to rise, but Tracy's hand on the back of his neck stopped him. "I swear to God, Tony, if you ever..." her sentence was cut off by a shout from outside the warehouse.

"Miami Dade Police! Put down your weapons and exit the building with your hands in the air!" Horatio Caine called through a megaphone.

Seeing their leader down, and the wild look on Tracy's face, the men all dropped their weapons and slowly filed out of a small personnel door.

SWAT poured in a moment later to clear the building.

Horatio followed close behind, and found Nick and Greg holding a trembling Tracy. Tracy had laid her head on her infant son's head, just breathing him in.

Putting a hand on Greg's shoulder, Horatio said, "Paramedics are on the way. They should take a look at Rick." He then walked over to where Tony still lay on the floor.

Tracy pulled away from Nick and Greg, handing Rick to Greg. She twisted, moving toward Horatio, when she felt a stabbing pain in her wounded side. "Oh, shit!" she breathed, as she collapsed to her knees, blood bubbling from her mouth.

"Tracy!" Nick rushed to her side, grabbing her before she toppled over.

"Horatio, where's the paramedics, I think Tracy's got a punctured lung!" Greg cried out, as he moved to Tracy's other side.

Tracy looked up at Nick, who was watching her helplessly, her head resting on his lap.

"Hard to breathe," she gasped out.

"Easy, Baby! You'll be okay," Nick said, trying to keep a tremor from his voice.

The paramedics arrived a moment later. They began working on her as they moved her steadily towards the awaiting ambulance.

"Nick, go with her. I'll meet you at the hospital with Rick," Greg said, heading for the car.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Several months later:

Catherine's mom agreed to keep the twins so Nick, Greg, and Tracy could fly down to Florida for the duration of the trial.

Tattoo man, also known as Steven Mettler, and the driver of the car, Pete Taylor were on trial for Rick's kidnaping. Tony Torino was on trial for masterminding the kidnaping and aggravated assault.

Tracy would be testifying about the day Rick had been kidnaped, and all three would be testifying about Tony's assault on Tracy. Tracy had been in the hospital for a week, recovering from her punctured lung and broken ribs.

Even now, so many weeks later, Tracy still found it difficult to draw in deep breaths. She'd taken to running everyday to build up her stamina.

Usually one or both of her husbands would go with her, but today they'd both declined, and Tracy had caught a secretive look flashing between them.

She'd shrugged it off as Nick and Greg being Nick and Greg, and set out on her run.

They were staying at a hotel near the beach, so she quickly picked up the biking/running path that skirted the beach.

It was a beautiful summer day, a cool breeze blowing in off the water. Tracy allowed herself to become lost in the steady pound of her feet on the path, the music from her iPod in her ears, and the rhythm of her breathing.

Time melted away, and soon she had finished the three mile circuit she'd been running everyday after the trial recessed for the day.

At the hotel room door, she slipped her keycard in the lock and pushed the door inward. The sounds of passion reached her from the bedroom, and she smiled, feeling her body react.

Leaning against the bedroom door frame, Tracy watched the two men, breath coming in small pants through her parted lips.

They didn't appear to notice her, but she was sure they knew she was watching. They were putting on this show for her, after all.

Greg was on his hands and knees under Nick, who was ever so gently pushing his condom covered length into Greg's tightness.

Squirming from the pleasure, Greg pled with the older man, "Nicky! Please!"

"Not yet!" Nick panted, restraining himself with visible effort. "Get under Greg, Tracy!"

Tracy didn't have to be told twice. She quickly stripped, and crawled onto the bed, under Greg so she was facing him.

She arched up, inviting Greg in. It was then that Nick began thrusting. Each powerful stroke pushed Greg farther into Tracy and Nick farther into Greg.

As usually happened during their love making, all three fell over the precipice at the same time, shuddering in ecstacy. "Oh, Greg! Nicky!" Tracy moaned.

Both men purred in happiness, totally satiated and drained. Nick pulled out of Greg, discarding the condom in the trash. Then he collapsed on the bed beside Tracy. Greg collapsed on her other side.

After a minute, Greg and Nick both propped themselves up on an elbow so they could look down at Tracy.

Greg had a huge grin on his face, and Tracy feared it might crack his face if it got any wider. "I believe she found that to be a turn on," he said, looking up at Nick.

"Oh, hell yeah!" Tracy's own face split in a wide grin. "My knees nearly buckled when I walked in and saw you two. It was so beautiful and perfect."

Nick and Greg both blushed.

"Nah. We're neanderthals compared to you, Baby!" Nick said, leaning over to kiss Tracy's lips.

Tracy sat nervously in the courtroom. The verdict was being read today, two weeks after the start of the trial.

A guilty verdict would send Tony away for a _very_ long time. He wouldn't be able to bother her or her family again.

Mettler and Taylor had both taken plea deals several days into the trial, when it became evident that Tony was going to throw them to the wolves.

Their testimony along with Nick's, Greg's, and Tracy's nearly assured a guilty verdict.

"Mr. Foreman, has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asked.

"Yes, your Honor. We have," the foreman replied, handing a sheet of paper to the bailiff.

Once it was returned to the foreman, the man opened it and read it aloud, "We the jury find the defendant, Tony Torino, guilty of kidnaping with extenuating circumstances, and guilty of aggravated assault.

Tracy's breath left her in a rush, and she realized she'd been holding it. Now she felt her hands being squeezed tightly, as both Nick and Greg sent her their support through the contact.

Deep down, she hadn't really expected the guilty verdict. She had feared that Tony would get off on some technicality and would invade her life again. Now he was going away for a very long time. She could breathe again.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Nick had just gotten home from a long shift at the crime lab. They'd been back from Florida for four weeks now, and the family had settled back into routine.

"Hey, Babe!" Nick greeted Greg from the office doorway before heading to the master bedroom.

Greg stopped working long enough to shoot Nick a huge grin, then turned back to his computer screen. Nick shook his head wonderingly at the younger man's antics.

In the bedroom, the twins were crawling around in their cribs, babbling happily.

Tracy was curled up in bed, her arms wrapped around her stomach. She looked a bit pale and green. As it dawned on Nick that she wasn't getting ready for her shift at the lab, Tracy bolted up from the bed, making a bee line for the bathroom.

"Tracy?" Nick followed, his brow furrowed in worry when he heard her wretching. "Baby?" he leaned over, pulling Tracy's hair out of her face as she finished emptying her stomach contents into the toilet.

A moment later, Tracy panted, "Called in sick. Wasn't this bad with the twins."

It took Nick's investigator brain a moment to wrap around what she'd said and put a few pieces together the right way. "Are you telling me? Does Greg..." he didn't finish either sentence.

After rinsing her mouth out, Tracy looked up at Nick, a twinkle in her eye. "I'm pregnant! And yes, Greg knows. He suspected last week. Mentioned something about psychics and Nana Olaf."

Nick's face split in an easy grin, as he laid his hands against Tracy's stomach. "He, there! We can't wait to meet you." His eyes met Tracy's, "When? During the trial?"

Tracy nodded, "Yup. The old fashioned way, this time." Biting her lip, she said, "I was with both of you, so I don't know which of you..."

She trailed off when Nick laid a finger over her lips. "Shh... I don't care which of us shares DNA with this baby, and I know Greg doesn't either. This baby belongs to all three of us!"

Tracy smiled happily, as Nick gently kissed her lips.

A/N: Well, here's to the end of another story! Hope you enjoyed it. Please be sure to send me reviews, I crave them! Not sure, but I am thinking about a sequel to this. Probably something when the kids are a bit older, so they'll have more of a part to play in it.


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